In case you or loved ones living in the Pacific Islands or coastal NZ: a large quake has hit American Samoa and a tsunami warning has been issued for the Pacific. On ABC radio, they're now talking about a wave of 2-3 metres.

NZ on alert as major quake shakes Samoa

September 30, 2009 - 7:54AM

At least five people are reported to have been killed after a massive earthquake and tsunami hit Samoa on Tuesday, the New Zealand deputy high commissioner to Apia David Dolphin said.

The quake sparked a tsunami warning for a large swathe of the South Pacific although Australia is not expected to be affected.

The quake of up to 8.3 magnitude hit at 6.48am Tuesday local time (0348 Wednesday AEST) midway between the two island groups of Samoa and American Samoa.

There were reports of deaths in American Samoa, although a US official was unable to confirm numbers.

Samoan police also say the tsunami has caused an unknown number of deaths there, the ABC reported.

There were reports that three children had been killed in Samoa, the ABC said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre put the quake's magnitude at 8.3 and issued a general alert for the South Pacific region, from American Samoa to New Zealand.

It said the tsunami generated by the quake "may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicentre and could also be a threat to more distant coasts".

The US Geological Service said the quake struck 35km below the ocean floor, 190km from American Samoa and 200km from Samoa.

New Zealander Graeme Ansell said the beach village of Sau Sau Beach Fale in Samoa was levelled.

"It was very quick. The whole village has been wiped out," Ansell told National Radio from a hill near Samoa's capital, Apia.

"There's not a building standing. We've all clambered up hills, and one of our party has a broken leg. There will be people in a great lot of need 'round here."

The powerful quake jolted people awake.

In Apia, families reported shaking that lasted for up to three minutes.

"It was pretty strong; it was long and lasted at least two minutes," one resident told local radio.

"It's the strongest I have felt, and we ran outside. You could see all the trees and houses were shaking," he said.

Sulili Dusi told New Zealand's National Radio that "everything dropped on the floor and we thought the house was going to go down as well. Thank God, it didn't." Along with neighbours, they fled to high ground.

Another resident, Dean Phillips, said the southern coast of Upolu island had been struck by the tsunami.

"The police are sending everybody up to high ground," he said.

Local media said they had reports of some landslides in the Solosolo region of the main Samoan island of Upolu and damage to plantations in the countryside outside Apia.

A 1.5-metre tsunami wave swept into the American Samoa capital Pago Pago shortly after the earthquake, sending sea water surging inland about 100 metres before receding, leaving some cars stuck in mud.

Electricity outages were reported and telephone lines were jammed.

In Fagatogo, water reached the waterfront town's meeting field and covered portions of the main highway, which also was plagued by rock slides.

A local reporter said three children had been killed in Samoa.

"There doesn't seem to be any damage around the capital although we have been told there have been deaths on the other side of the island as a result of the following tsunami," Australian journalist Russell Hunter, who lives in Apia and works for the Samoa Observer, told the ABC.

"So far we are told three children in a small village on the other side of the island."

New Zealand was expected to be hit by a one-metre high wave about 10am local time (0700 AEST), New Zealand Civil Defence said.

Eastern coast areas were most at risk.

A brief statement issued by the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre, operated by the Bureau of Meteorology and Geoscience Australia, said Australia would not be impacted by the tsunami.

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Last I heard was there was a 1 metre Tsunami predicted to hit my city. Luckily there's nothing really below 2 or three metres. Our low lying land is protected by a high sand dune the runs the length of the coastline. The only trouble that might occur is if it comes up the harbour, but hopefully it will all pass safely by. Really hope nobody gets hurt here, it's good we've had plenty of warning though.

edit: expected to hit us here around 12:31pm

Will let you know if anything happens.

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Thanks mate.Look after yourself and do make sure your friends and family are aware of the threat.metta

Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Listening to national radio then, the reports coming out of Samoa are that 11 people are confirmed dead, it's expected the death toll might rise. Several villages have been wiped away, but most of the people had enough warning to get to safety. Heart really goes out to those affected.

I just got word that the Tsunami warning has been dropped for the South Island of NZ, they're expecting something minor, around 40cm I believe.

Metta & Jack

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

40 centimetres... sounds like it's been downgraded from a tsunami to a wave!

Hopefully no one else gets hurt.

Metta,Retro.

"When we transcend one level of truth, the new level becomes what is true for us. The previous one is now false. What one experiences may not be what is experienced by the world in general, but that may well be truer. (Ven. Nanananda)

“I hope, Anuruddha, that you are all living in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes.” (MN 31)

Death Toll over a 100 and rising. Over a thousand homes lost. Samoa is in ruins.

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has confirmed that a six-year-old Australian girl has been killed in the Samoa tsunami.

A 50-year-old Australian woman, Maree Blacker has also died. Mr Rudd says three Australians are still missing in Samoa and seven are in hospital.

The death toll from the tsunami which swept through the Pacific this morning has passed 100 and 1,000 have lost their homes.

Resorts, homes and a newly built hospital have been washed away.

Doctor Puni of the Medcen Private Hospital in Apia says people inland and inside bungalows on the beach, are among those who were caught up in the tsunami.

"Some of them saw the wave coming and so they were heading out towards higher ground and the wave just overtook them, while they were on flight to higher grounds unfortunately and some of them did not have very much option at all," he said.

'Reef sucked dry'

Tourists are gathered at the airport in Samoa recounting their tales of holiday horror.

New Zealander Hamish Nead was out surfing when the tsunami hit.

He says the reef was sucked dry in front of his eyes.

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele says his country is shocked. He says everything happened like lightning and there was no time to run.

Australia has two Air Force Hercules aircraft ready to fly emergency supplies to Samoa.

Australia, New Zealand and France are working together to coordinate sending the aid.

The Parliamentary Secretary for International Assistance, Bob McMullan, says Australia will be sending medical supplies and other emergency help.

He says the Samoan Government has made it clear how serious the problem is.

"The most sort of stark thing that the Government said they needed, although I'm not sure that we'll be ones to supply it, is they need morgue facilities," he said.

"Now that's one of those messages that sends a chill down your spine, to hear someone perfectly reasonably, sensibly saying the problem is the morgue's not adequate for the consequences."

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says details of what assistance Australia will provide are being finalised.

"We are working as Australia very closely not just with the Samoans but with our friends in New Zealand and the Government of France and others who are active in the region to provide all levels of practical support possible," he said.

"But it may take some time before the full impact of the disaster is known."

Tributes flow

A community in Northern Tasmania is mourning the loss of horse trainer Maree Blacker who was killed in the tsunami."

Mrs Blacker's husband John is also well-known in the local racing industry.

Mr Blacker remains in Samoa and is being assisted by the Department of Foreign Affairs.Northern Midlands Mayor Kim Polley says the Longford community is devastated.

"The Blacker family is highly respected not only in this community but statewide, especially in the racing fraternity," he said.

"Maree worked with John to achieve goals that they had gained in the racing industry. It's a huge shock and its a huge loss."

An industry spokesman, Peter Staples, says the trip to Samoa was Mrs Blacker's birthday gift from her husband.

"The entire Tasmanian racing industry is in mourning today for the loss of Maree and obviously our heartfelt feelings go out to John who was with her and it's just an absolute tragedy," he said.

-Australians worried about friends or relatives in Samoa or American Samoa can call a DFAT hotline on 1300 555 135.

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---

We have a large Samoan community in Brisbane - a gentle religious people mostly. Travel agents are reporting flights booked out as grieving and frightened people attempt to find out what has happened to their dear ones. Many older people stay in Samoa while the younger generation works in Australia and sends money back to them and to the Church in Samoa.

Please hold them in your hearts with metta and karuna.

mettaChris

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

"When we transcend one level of truth, the new level becomes what is true for us. The previous one is now false. What one experiences may not be what is experienced by the world in general, but that may well be truer. (Ven. Nanananda)

“I hope, Anuruddha, that you are all living in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes.” (MN 31)

A person dies every second on planet Earth. Count to ten...ten people died. If we pay attention, this is an ordinary event. May all beings find their way to authentic happiness no matter what circumstances they encounter.

Vision is MindMind is EmptyEmptiness is Clear LightClear Light is UnionUnion is Great Bliss

pink_trike wrote:A person dies every second on planet Earth. Count to ten...ten people died. If we pay attention, this is an ordinary event. May all beings find their way to authentic happiness no matter what circumstances they encounter.

Hi PT,

That's putting it bluntly . . . but also factually.

I think we tend to notice the death and suffering more when it is concentrated in one event like this.

When I was in Africa shortly after the 2004 Indonesian earthquake and tsunami, many Africans were saying that "there is a tsumani everyday in Africa." And if you look at the statistics, they are right.

Everyday something like 50,000 to 100,000 people die in Africa and for no good reason, such as AIDS, hunger, starvation, and warfare.

pink_trike wrote:A person dies every second on planet Earth. Count to ten...ten people died. If we pay attention, this is an ordinary event. May all beings find their way to authentic happiness no matter what circumstances they encounter.

I think we tend to notice the death and suffering more when it is concentrated in one event like this.

Yes. It's easier to react to an isolated event (like watching a movie and emoting on cue...we know what to do) than to really grok the whole death process taking place in every moment, outside of us and within us - this requires some significant subterranean shifts of perception, and letting go of something held deeply unconscious as precious. Death is the equal of life but we tunnel vision on life to the exclusion of death. Always eager for the in breath, not so eager for the exhale.

Vision is MindMind is EmptyEmptiness is Clear LightClear Light is UnionUnion is Great Bliss

I'm not sure if you realise that many of us know Samoans who have been affected personally. Many of my clients are Samoans who are frightened and desperate for news of their loved ones. This thread wasn't supposed to be an academic discussion about the pervasiveness of suffering - which is a little insensitive in this context.

karunaChris

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---

I'm not sure if you realise that many of us know Samoans who have been affected personally. Many of my clients are Samoans who are frightened and desperate for news of their loved ones. This thread wasn't supposed to be an academic discussion about the pervasiveness of suffering - which is a little insensitive in this context.

karunaChris

Hello Chris,

I'm sorry you find it "insensitive". Since this is a Buddhist board, my feeling is that The Dhamma's and my comments are timely and appropriate.

Vision is MindMind is EmptyEmptiness is Clear LightClear Light is UnionUnion is Great Bliss

Chris wrote:I'm not sure if you realise that many of us know Samoans who have been affected personally. Many of my clients are Samoans who are frightened and desperate for news of their loved ones. This thread wasn't supposed to be an academic discussion about the pervasiveness of suffering - which is a little insensitive in this context.

Hi Chris,

This has nothing to do with ignoring the present tragedy, but just about extending the metta to all of the suffering.

As you know, when you do metta meditation you start with yourself, to those around you, and gradually extend this to all nations, and all beings. We can extend our karuna and metta to the Samoans and then to all the others who are also suffering, for example in Africa and elsewhere.